Kriti Mehrotra
With Netflix’s ‘Is It Cake? Valentines’ living up to its title, we get a special romantic edition of one of the most viral reality baking competitions to have landed on our screens over the past few years. It follows three bakers alongside their forever-life partners as they create hyper-realistic, edible works of art in an effort to fool a panel of celebrity judges, and hopefully, walk away with a prize pot. Rising professional Jason Hisley and his ever-supportive husband, Tyler Alexander Stiff, were among the participating pairs, but they couldn’t move past round 1 after their bake was identified as fake.
Jason Hisley and Tyler Stiff Met Because the Former is No Stranger to the Limelight
A proud native of Baltimore, Maryland, Jason Hisley was just a young boy when he developed a passion for baking thanks to the lessons his loving grandmother taught him in their family kitchen. Therefore, upon graduating from Bel Air High School in 2006, he didn’t hesitate to enroll at the esteemed private Johnson & Wales University to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Baking & Pastry Arts. He subsequently traveled to Vitznau, Switzerland, to earn a coveted pastry certification from Restaurant School before returning to his hometown and kick-starting his career at local establishments.
Jason gradually climbed the ladder to the point that his skills in both 3D, custom, hyper-realistic cakes as well as traditional confections were undeniable, especially given the flavors, which were always there too. That’s how he caught the attention of Food Network producers and landed spots on competition shows such as ‘Cutthroat Kitchen,’ ‘Cupcake Wars,’ and ‘Holiday Wars,’ among others. The fact that he featured in these productions while also spreading his wings by establishing his own business, La Cakerie, further proved his mettle to his peers, industry experts, and clients alike.
It thus comes as no surprise that Tyler Stiff soon heard that the man he had seen on one of the baking shows was a Baltimore resident like him, which drove him to slide into his social media inbox. Jason almost blocked him at first since he wasn’t sure if the message was real or from a bot, but as they got to talking, they realized they had to meet because there was a spark between them. Their first date went incredibly well, after which they navigated long-distance due to Tyler’s career in the US Navy. One thing led to another, and the two finally found their balance and tied the knot in June 2023.
Jason Hisley and Tyler Stiff Are Avid Travel Enthusiasts to This Day
When Jason and Tyler first started dating, they realized that one of their shared dreams was to travel as much as possible so as to experience the beauty of the world and undertake new adventures. They wanted to do so hand in hand, so they took trips not only to places across the US, such as Florida, Tennessee, and Nevada, but also to international destinations like France as well as Monaco. They even got engaged during a weekend getaway to the Marriott in Owings Mills, Maryland, with Jason enlisting the help of their dog by dressing him in a tuxedo and strapping the ring on his back. Alongside the ring was a note asking Tyler to be the dog’s official dad.
True to their shared key experiences and blend of personalities, Jason and Tyler also chose to have a destination wedding — they tied the knot at Anthony’s Key Resort in Roatán, Honduras. They then had the time of their lives honeymooning across the Greek Islands, which is why they made a hyper-realistic Greek Bust Statue cake during their stint on Netflix’s ‘Is It Cake? Valentines.’Since then, the happily married dog dads have vacationed in Italy and Montenegro as well as excitedly explored the charms of at least 2 national parks, a state park in Utah, and the glaciers up north.
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Jason Hisley and Tyler Stiff Are Wholly Dedicated to Their Respective Careers
With Jason’s television stints and his La Cakerie business, he was garnering so much success by the time the mid-2010s rolled around that he “realized his vision for a small, cozy, high-end cake & pastry shop was quickly turning into something completely different.” Thus, he took a step back in 2017, carefully reevaluated his standing, and came to the conclusion that it would be best for him to return to his roots, which finally led him to move forward. In October 2017, he established Cake by Jason with the sole aim of celebrating life with loved ones, neighbors, and community members who played a significant role in his professional growth.
Since then, by maintaining his vision and understanding what really matters, Jason has been able to thrive as a baker on his own terms as well as operate the business in a way that benefits everyone involved. Cakes by Jason does traditional bakes, custom cakes, image cookies, cake jars, cupcakes, wedding desserts, and much more. All of it is done with such finesse that they have been featured on CBS, NBC, The Knot network, The Sun, Baltimore Bride, Baltimore Fishbowl, and in the Best of Baltimore Magazine 6 different times.
As for Tyler, hailing from a family with 5 generations of US servicemen before him, it’s no surprise that he gaily decided to follow in their footsteps as soon as he had completed his studies. He chose to enlist in the maritime service branch of the Armed Forces, better known as the Navy, so there was a brief period in the 2010s when he simply served as a Reservist. However, today, the Mass Maritime Academy graduate is a proud Lieutenant in the Navy Reserve, where he is doing his best to represent his nation and help train future marines.
